Irawaddy Dolphins from Pakse

Is it possible to do a day trip to the see the Irawaddy dolphins (or try to see the anyway) from Pakse or is it too far away for a day trip?

Irawaddy Dolphins from Pakse

Staying over one night at Si Phan Don is recommended.

Cheers.

Irawaddy Dolphins from Pakse

Yeah but is it possible to do it in one day from pakse? I will not have time to stay overnight in si phan don

It would be a hell of a trip in a day if you could get it organized and actually get out on the boats. There is only a small chance of seeing the dolphins anyway - (we didn%26#39;t on our trip up the Mekong) so I think you could use your time better than rushing at that!

There are so few left as it is and they are very shy.

There use to be complaints about the boats getting too close to the dolphins when they see them and damaging them - don%26#39;t know if its still the case as there may be some sort of regulation but I doubt it makes much difference.

I have seen the dolphins on every one of my 10+ trips down there. However it does depend on the time of year. At this time of year you should be in luck, although you may need to hang around looking for a couple of hours, and binoculars would be a good idea.

If you leave Pakse and drive to a village called Ban Nagasang this will take about 2 hours. From here it is a 20 min or so boat trip to the sland of Don Khone. Once on the island you will need to walk approx 5km around to the far side of the island on the other side of Liphii Falls where boats leave from - however ask at the guesthouses in the village as sometimes boats are available closer to the village depending upon the water levels.

It is possible, but will be a long day and would recommend hiring a private car in Pakse to speed things up.

If you only have one day I would actually recommend you visiting Wat Phou (UNESCO World Heritage site), Ban Khiet Nyong (elephant trekking up onto Phu Asa mountain) or head out onto the Bolaven Plateau instead.

Are the dolphins the only thing worth seeing in SOuth Laos? If so, it seems a long journey just to get there.

not at all. The dolphins are probably one of the things that are least worth visiting!! In terms of the south of Laos, you could easily spend several weeks exploring the area. Starting in Khammouane province, you have an 8km long cave that goes underneath a mountain that you can kayak through! Savannahket is well worth a visit and as well as temples, historical sites, a town with a lot of French influence, Savannakhet is famous for its dinosaur remains.

Heading further south to Champasak province, you have the UNESCO World Heritage site of Wat Phou - which dates back to the 6th century. The Bolaven Plateau which not only produces some of the best coffee in the world, but is a lovely area to spend a few days with several lodges overlooking huge waterfalls. Not too mention the largest waterfalls in SE Asia, the Four Thousand Islands, and yes the dolphins!

Caves sound cool but waterfalls you can get anywhere in the world!

I suppose I have to weigh up the trip between Pakse and Luang Prabang to see an area that seems like the only thing going for it is to chill out.